Results 19,521-19,540 of 26,430 for speaker:David Cullinane

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: I will surprise the Secretary General for the second time in a row as his Department will come in for some praise. The greenway projects have been first class. Is it correct to say the funding comes from the Department?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: Will the witness outline to the committee how many outstanding claims for additional funds exist for greenway projects and where they are?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: What were the names of the projects or the local authorities involved?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: Would they have sought a particular amount? Did the local a authorities submit proposals?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: Some additional funding was sought from some of those local authorities where decisions have not been made. I am asking about outstanding claims. My understanding-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: That is why I am asking. I was informed at a meeting of Oireachtas Members in Waterford by the chief executive officer of the local authority that a request has been submitted for additional funding. Has that submission been made and what is the amount?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: In principle, is there support for finishing projects? I would imagine if the Department has funded existing greenway projects but additional funding is necessary to make them viable, it would be open to providing additional support. I am not seeking to tie our hands but in principle, is the Department open to providing such additional support?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: Has the witness met representatives of local authorities?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: Has the Minister met officials from local authorities in the past couple of weeks with regard to seeking additional funding for greenway projects?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: The witness might revert to us about that. I wish to deal again with subvention and the Expressway service. I want absolute clarity so I can fully understand the responses given earlier. Has the Department done any analysis of the viability of the overall Expressway service or individual routes?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: I imagine the witness would accept the Department has a massive role to play in "balanced regional development", which has become a cliché. Does the witness accept that if we are to achieve any sort of balanced regional development, transport is very important?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: Does it not strike Mr. Doyle as incredible that the Department is not doing an analysis of transport services that exist, even if they are Bus Éireann services, to see if they are economically viable or socially necessary? The witness indicated the public service obligation, PSO, gives subvention to services when there is a social need but they are economically unviable. If the...

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: I understand the commercial differences. The Department has not done the analysis on viability or social needs met by the Expressway services. I am asking if the Department has received any reports from Bus Éireann as to the viability or not of the services.

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: So they are not viable.

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: I will get to the commercial services part. The witness has accepted they are not viable at the moment.

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: I can take it that losing money means not viable.

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: That brings me to what I mentioned earlier, which is that some of these Expressway routes stop in eight or nine locations where private operators might stop once or twice. The witness mentioned that Bus Éireann presents these routes as commercial services, as it does and which is a matter for the company. He also mentioned that the routes are licensed by the National Transport...

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: It is open to Bus Éireann to apply for a change in the terms of the licence so it does not have to make the same number of stops.

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: Does Mr. Doyle know whether Bus Éireann has made any requests to that effect in respect of any of these routes?

Public Accounts Committee: 2015 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (23 Feb 2017)

David Cullinane: I am not asking about the routes that were altered. I am asking about loss-making routes that have potential problems. Has Bus Éireann sought a change in the licence from the NTA in any of those instances, only for that request not to be granted?